RISING STARS MEET THE FUTURE!
Emily Rowland, purchasing assistant at fixings and fastenings specialist ForgeFix, tells Will McGill about her achievements working in the construction industry supply chain.
What is your current role?
I am a purchasing assistant at, fixings and fastenings specialist, ForgeFix.
How did you get into the industry? I was looking for a career change after having worked in hospitality. Coincidentally, I happened to see an advert for a position at ForgeFix that had a rotational structure where I could gain experience across different departments. Looking back now, I can’t think of a better way to step into a new industry and try out the different roles within it.
What does a typical day for you at work look like?
I have an early start at 7:30am, I like to start as early as possible so I can make the most of my time in the office where our international suppliers, across different time zones, are still working. Day to day, I place orders with suppliers, build relationships with them and check our contracts. I also manage our inventory, ensure orders are delivered on time, analyse market trends and communicate stock levels and customer demands to our sales teams.
What are your big challenges in the role? Managing our supply chain has certainly been a challenge in this role. Even a slight supply chain disruption can affect production costs, production yield, trade sanctions and sales revenue. With the ongoing Red Sea crisis, we now have had a much longer lead time on products that we hadn’t necessarily forecasted, and it has been a challenge making sure our customers are confident in our supply. Furthermore, with suppliers based in the Far East, managing our supply chain has been a complex challenge but one that is very rewarding.
What do you think your biggest achievement has been in this role? I think my biggest achievement has been managing our stock levels. When I first started
in the purchasing office, I saw that we were well above our necessary stock levels, so much so that we were using an extra storage site. I worked closely with suppliers and analysed our forecasted sales. I was able to put together a plan where we no longer needed our off-site warehouse. As a result, ForgeFix has saved thousands of pounds in warehouse fees.
What would you like to achieve next? Later this year, I will complete my level 3 supply chain practitioner apprenticeship. I’d then like to go onto completing another qualification with ForgeFix that would allow me to further enhance my industry knowledge but, in particularly, my understand of supply chain management.
What advice would you give to someone new to this industry?
First of all, I would tell them to just go for it. Embrace every opportunity and get stuck in, straight away. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or ask to try something new. There’s so much to learn and being hands-on is the best way to widen your knowledge.
What would you say to someone who might be thinking about a career or getting a job in the merchant industry? Make sure to explore all the different options and opportunities available. There are so many different career paths in the merchant industry
May 2024
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
“I can’t think of a better way to step into a new industry and try out the different roles within it.”
that there will definitely be one that suits you. Feel free to connect with people on LinkedIn or contact companies directly so you can ask them what it’s like working in the industry. From my experience, everyone has been so supportive and welcoming – it really is a career for anyone.
Why do you think young people/women are hesitant to go into the industry? There is a perception that the construction industry is for men only. These stereotypes can be discouraging when it comes to women wanting to break into the industry. I feel there needs to be more women in management positions and more awareness of the opportunities available within construction as a whole. This may be through promoting awareness days like International Women’s Day, actively going into schools, investing in apprenticeship schemes or advertising on social media platforms that young people can engage with. BMJ
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